Wireless data devices are well known in the art. These devices provide a user with the capability of utilizing data services such as e-mails, browsers, or short message services (SMS). These devices further allow the use of data services wirelessly and while mobile.
In current CDMA 2000 networks, data packets are always sent out on a dedicated data Traffic Channel. On power-up of the wireless device, this Traffic Channel is obtained by attempting to obtain a valid Internet protocol (IP) address from a network. The device does this by attempting to establish a dedicated data Traffic Channel and then a point-to-point protocol (PPP) session. Once the device is assigned a valid IP address, the device is allowed to send or receive Packet Data through the Internet routed by the public data serving node (PDSN).
If no Packet Data is sent or received by the wireless data device within a certain time period, the device or the network releases the dedicated Traffic Channel assigned to the device. The PPP session is still kept even after the Traffic Channel is released. At this point, the device goes into a dormant state and stays in this dormant state until a new data packet is sent or received. When a new data packet is sent or received, the device re-establishes the dedicated Traffic Channel in order to send or receive any new data packet.
Always sending and receiving Packet Data on dedicated data Traffic Channels is not efficient with regards to both network resources and battery life of the data device. Network resources are wasted by having a dedicated data Traffic Channel for each wireless device. If the wireless device only occasionally sends or receives Packet Data, a dedicated data Traffic Channel may need to be established and kept for each outgoing or incoming packet.
With regards to the battery life of the wireless data device, the establishment of a dedicated data Traffic Channel involves call processing messages exchanged between the device and the network. This costs the device battery life to establish the dedicated data Traffic Channel. Further, keeping a data Traffic Channel up also requires more transmission power, which also affects the battery life.
A further problem with current CDMA 2000 networks is that they do not support simultaneous voice and data services. A device is not allowed to send or receive data pockets when the device has already established dedicated voice Traffic Channel from its dormant state.